Size Never Matters
by Ichon
Summary: Naruto is changed into his eight-year-old body after a minor injury on a mission. Sasuke has conflicting feelings,or is he just falling in love? Things get hectic with the appearance of stray ninja. But what are they after? SasuNaru. Full summary inside.
1. Innocent Youth

**Size Never Matters**

**Summary: During a mission, Naruto obtains a minor injury, which somehow leaves him in his eight-year-old body! Is Sasuke falling in love with him? Or can't he make up his mind? And things are getting hectic rapidly with foreign groups melding in the picture. What will happen to our beloved ninja?**

Chapter 1: Innocent Youth

It was at the break of dawn that Neji Hyuga woke. He sat up and stiffly rubbed his pupil-less eyes, quickly taking in his surroundings. Something seemed out of place... Glancing up into the canopy above him, he noticed Kiba to be fast asleep, Akamaru curled up into a ball on his lap. Neji tensed instantly, shifting a hand to his kunai pouch, a scowl playing at his lips. Mental note: never again let the dog-nin take up night watch for an extended time. Potential murder in their sleep was promised under the care of Kiba. Activating his Byakugan, he scanned the entire area, checking it for disturbed traps or hints of chakra. He relaxed visibly when none were found.

"You insolent _moron_! What the hell are you doing sleeping?" the dark-haired youth roared.

At this, Kiba nearly leaped from the tree in fright; Akamaru landing on his furry head.

"Wh-What the hell was that all about?" screeched the brunette, dangling from the tree, looking all but composed.

"Why in God's name were you asleep during your watch?"

Kiba snorted indignantly. "For your information, I went to sleep _five_ minutes ago! I can tell when night's at its end." The dog loving ninja dropped to the ground and crossed his arms over his chest defensively.

Neji scoffed, although internally relieved. "You should've woken us up before you dozed off."

A scowl molded Kiba's face. "Always have to win don't you?"

The genius chose to ignore his teammate's statement. Instead, he turned and approached a bundle of sleeping bag, nudging it with his foot. "Wake up," he intoned, voice lacking any emotion whatsoever beyond annoyance. When there was no response he pushed a bit harder. "I said wake up!"

Slowly, but surely, there was a groan and the bundle moved like some living fabric worm. After several seconds of shifting and whispered curses, a bright disarray of blond hair popped right out of the sleeping bag. Glistening azure eyes still bleary with drowsiness stared blankly into space. A yawn escaped the boy as he stretched his limbs.

The pale-skinned shinobi looked upon his fellow ninja in mild disgust. Unlike the blond, Neji could rise from bed with naught a hair out of place, as such, he found it revolting how Naruto could let himself get so muddled.

"Hnn…What's up, Neji?" the kitsune probed languidly. He abruptly froze, as though suddenly remembering something of importance, and jumped up, kunai in hand. "Are there enemy ninja around?"

"No," replied the Hyuga slowly, staring at the boy with an unsatisfied air.

"Then _why _did you wake me up at the crack of dawn!" he all but screeched, clenching his fists and shaking them furiously in front of the other's face.

"You want to go home don't you?"

Naruto blinked then pouted, knowing he'd lost. Damn that stupid Hyuga and his logic. He huffed loudly and moved to pack his things.

* * *

Two hours past dawn saw the three man cell bounding swiftly through the treetops southward toward Konoha. All three bound from branch to branch so swiftly, they appeared blurs to the untrained eye. They took naught the risk of resting for prolonged periods of time on the assumption they might still be pursued.

It had been a guard and deliver mission. They were to keep safe a ceremonial dagger called the Malir and deliver it to a small village far out on the outskirts of Konoha. It was a sacred dagger said to hold a mysterious power—an artifact coveted by many. Found during a scout mission, it was turned in to Tsunade and kept safe until requested by the rightful owners. After three years, the Kuyaha Clan sent a messenger to claim the artifact. Once proven the lawful proprietors, a three man cell was appointed to the job of delivering it. Since the mission would prove to be dangerous, Tsunade organized a group she saw fit for the job.

As leader, Neji Hyuga was chosen. His intellectual status, ability to use the Byakugan, and his ultimate defenses seemed ideal for the task.

Kiba Inuzuka, along with his faithful dog, Akamaru, were selected due to their enhanced sense of smell and direction which would provide course on the mission; their wild, successive attack style was only an added benefit.

And finally, Naruto Uzumaki was the third member chosen. His impulsive, volatile, and quick battle style was commendable; his resilient fortitude and nearly endless supply of chakra was also instrumental in such a targeted mission.

Despite the adequate preparations, from the very start, the team had been ambushed and openly attacked by stray ninja as well as an organized group set on larceny of the Malir, the Gukaba.

Though Gukaba did not contain high level shinobi, their sheer numbers and stealth skills proved to be a constant danger. And now, even after they'd successfully delivered the artifact, they remained cautious.

A sharp, stinging pain brought Naruto to a complete halt. He hissed and gripped the side of his neck, closing his eyes for only a moment. Kiba and Neji stopped a few branches ahead and looked back at him.

Hyuga frowned, but showed no signs of the slight worry rooted in the pit of his stomach. "Hurting again?" It was hardly a question.

"Yeah…I'm ok now," he replied quietly, sliding his hand over the gauze that enclosed the wound.

Neji, as well as Kiba knew something was wrong about the injury. A cut such as that would—on any normal circumstance—be nothing to a ninja, much less cause a striking pain that forced him to stop and grit his teeth in agony. What solidified their suspicions all the more was its effect on Naruto, who both had witnessed stand and fight when his body was virtually broken.

With a slight nod, they continued on. Lacking else to occupy his thoughts, Neji's mind drifted to the fight two days prior.

* * *

_They were surrounded. It had happened so quickly while they were distracted that now they stood back to back, facing at least fifty Gukaba ninja. At first, the leader of the group simply tried requesting the Malir. Of course that was a dead end. Needing no further enticement, the attack ensued._

_In a heart-beat, Kiba and Naruto took to the branches and Neji seized his opportunity to strike with his ultimate defense; knocking twelve enemies unconscious off the bat. Dashing by, he commenced taking out the rest with his Gentle Fist…_

…

_High in the trees, Kiba and Akamaru fought their own battle._

"_Akamaru!" called out Kiba as he pounced onto another enemy and rammed him into the trunk of a tree._

_The little white dog let out a short bark in understanding and leaped high into the canopy before diving down biting one of the stronger ninja in the arm. Kiba then came up from under and uppercut the shinobi. The brunette grinned wolfishly as he took off once again. "Beast Mimicry…" he whispered to himself as he charged towards his other victims, Akamaru at his heels…_

…

_Somersaulting off the end of a branch to avoid a shower of shurikan, Naruto summoned thirty clones as he fell and landed on a lower branch of a different tree. The multiple clones split apart— a sudden abundance of orange dotting the forest. A small group of Gukaba ninja rushed the original blond for a single, coordinated pasting, but in vain._

"_Thanks for the easy target!" the boy cooed as one of his clones finished forming the rasengan on his right hand. He bound forward and hit the first assailant dead on, causing a ripple effect that sent the other three spiraling off fifteen meters back. "Bring it on," he muttered, glimpsing seven more enemy ninja attacking his clones, one of them heading straight for him…_

…

_The battle was falling in their favor and soon, there were only eight Gukaba still standing in opposition. One of the ninja who had dark red hair precipitously smiled; a glint reflecting in his cold eyes. Before the leaf ninja could react, the other seven Gukaba shot out in different directions, only to converge, attacking their flanks and roof._

_With Kiba and Naruto so close, Neji couldn't risk using his ultimate defense, so he opted for his gentle fist once again; his Byakugan activated all the while. But this time, one of the enemies pulled out a flash bomb and detonated it right in front of Neji. Out of surprise, he backpedaled and fell back. Before he could blink, the small box in which the Malir was tucked into was swiped from his pack. "Damnit!" he cursed, kicking away two other ninja. Luckily, Kiba intercepted, performing his fang over fang jutsu, and halted the thief's advances. With the momentum the enemy was hit with, the package split open and the dagger went sailing outward._

_Naruto lunged at the object and would've successfully caught it if a paper bomb hadn't exploded just behind him. The force of the blow sent him flying right at the Malir. Twisting in mid-air, he was able to move slightly and prevent the item from impaling him directly through the throat, but it was hardly enough to avoid the impact entirely. The dagger made a long, clean cut on the left side of the blonde's neck, drawing an enormous amount of blood. The slash fortunately missed any main arteries—although landing quite close—but dealt enough damage to have him fumbling with his balance when he landed at the loss of blood._

_The artifact imbedded itself into tree trunk. The red-headed ninja made a lunge for it, but was knocked back by Akamaru biting down on his neck. The dog's fangs ripped the flesh viciously and unrelentingly, drawing streams of blood, and fatally injuring the shinobi. With their leader severely injured and the awareness of their inbound failure, the remaining Gukaba retreated. But before they left, a few Gukaba glanced back at the blond who was cupping his neck in an attempt to stop the bleeding, feeling disquiet in that truth…_

* * *

"Hey guys! I think we're close to the village! I can already smell that scrumptious ramen!" Naruto moaned dreamily, licking his lips at the thought of warm ramen just waiting to be eaten. "Come on, guys! Move faster! Hurry up! I'm _starving_!" he shouted gleefully, quickening his pace.

"Naruto! You're freaking annoying. We'll get there when we get there!" yelled Kiba, running on his last strands of sanity with the overly hyper shinobi.

Tossing back a glare, the blond stuck out his tongue, replying, "Who cares what you think, dog-breath!"

"What did you call me, shorty?"

"D-o-g-B-r-e-a-t-h. That's what I said you mutt!...I'm _NOT_ short!" he fumed. He loathed being called short. So he was a tad small for his age, so what? Just because even Sakura and the other female ninja pass him by at least half of an inch didn't mean he was tiny…fuck.

"The hell you aren't! Look at yourself. You're a friggin' midget!" the brunette snarled, clenching his fists.

At this Naruto halted, seething, only this time, he changed tactic. Dropping on all fours, he began to act similar to a dog in a much exaggerated manner, swinging his bottom side to side as if he had a tail to wag. "Look at me~ I'm Kiba, with my horrible dog breath! But that's nothing compared to how I smell when I'm wet! Talk about _reeking_!" he cooed, drawing out the last word for emphasis.

The next thing he knew, Kiba tackled him to the ground. "I'll humor you, shorty," he barked then bit down on the blonde's arm.

"Ahhh! Get him off! Get him off! Rabiiiiieeesss!" Naruto screamed, wildly trying to shake the brunette off. When he found he couldn't, he mirrored the elder and chomped down on Kiba's arm—his abnormally sharp canines digging into the other's skin. Akamaru was quick to start gnawing at the younger boy's leg.

"_Enough_! …Morons! I can't believe I got stuck with such nitwits like you three!" roared Neji, cuffing the two boys in the head.

The blond and brunette cradled their heads, looking ashamed. "He started it!" wined the kitsune, pointing an accusing finger.

Neji bent and came face to face with the blue eyed boy, glaring like the end was coming. "Naruto, don't fuck with me. Now either move it or so help me I'll murder you both."

The younger audibly gulped and nodded furiously.

* * *

Afternoon saw the team back in the village. Once they'd been debriefed in Tsunade's company, save the whole laceration, they parted in their separate ways.

Sakura was walking down the street on that lovely late afternoon when she spotted a familiar orange-clad boy sitting inside the Ichiraku Ramen stand. "Naruto!" she called happily as she approached and sat down on one of the stools next to him. "How'd the mission go?"

"Ah! Sakura-Chan! The mission went great! What have you been up to?"

She smiled and set a bag of groceries onto the counter. "Oh, not much. Just running some errands."

The blond smiled back before turning back to slurp up his sixth bowl of ramen. At this, Sakura gagged. "Naruto, how can you eat so much? What do you have, a black hole for a stomach? Tapeworm maybe?" The blond just laughed and waved it off saying he was only hungry.

In truth, she was secretly jealous of the boy. He could eat however much he pleased—of anything—and never gain a pound, unlike her. She constantly had to watch what she ate, exercise, and perhaps diet here and there like most other girls so she could stay in shape, all with the ultimate goal to impress Sasuke. Naruto's metabolism was something otherworldly she thought.

"Hm? What happened there?" she asked pointing to the long bandage wrapped around his neck, her brows furrowing.

"This? It's just a scratch," he replied, suddenly losing his appetite. He gently pushed the half consumed bowl of ramen away and placed his hands on the countertop. This was a touchy subject for him. The cursed wound was somehow making him weaker, he just knew. Why? He hadn't the faintest idea. Nothing really made sense.

He thought back. It was because of that damned Gukaba ninja who set off the paper bomb that he got this wound. So, logically, it was that guy's fault. But as his mind trailed back to past events, his spine grew cold. Something was very wrong…

She nodded at his answer and was about to turn around and order herself something to eat when she saw something odd. Strange vein-like lines abruptly sprouted from beneath the gauze, staining the surrounding skin with dark branches before retracting once again into normalcy. For a moment, she'd thought she was going crazy until she noticed the cloth dampen with a red substance. With it came immediate recognition. "…Naruto…It's bleeding," she whispered anxiously, eyes wide at how much of the crimson liquid had suddenly begun to seep through the gauze. She was on her feet in a moment, worriedly looking over her teammate.

The blond didn't answer. He was already feeling dizzy; the striking pain returning to torture him all of a sudden. He grasped his neck, sweat beading on his forehead, and inhaled sharply as the burning sensation slowly becoming unbearable. "S…Saku…ra…chan…" he hissed between gasps.

The pink haired kunoichi caught the boy just as he fell off his stool. "Hurry!" she cried to the girl behind the counter who was watching nervously. "Get some help!" The girl nodded quickly and disappeared from view. "Come on Naruto! Get a hold of yourself! Help is coming soon!" Emerald eyes brimmed with tears. Here her comrade was, writhing, suffering in her arms, and she could do nothing for him. It had always been like this. She was always so useless…

Her mind was racing. How…why had this occurred just after she pointed out the wound? Why the sudden reaction when Naruto was so obviously fine moments before? More so, how was it possible for a wound in which the blood had already congealed to start bleeding so savagely without being tampered with? What the hell went wrong?

The blood kept slavering incessantly. The boy's body wracked with tremors of agony. She could do _nothing_.

Although it was only two or so minutes until a group of medic ninja came and took blond away, it felt like an eternity for both Sakura and Naruto. By the time they had made it there, the two were drenched in his blood; the girl's flowing tears mixing with the thick substance.

Sakura followed them without hesitation. One of the medic nin had even offered to get her checked, but she refused to let her friend from her sight.

* * *

Dusk was rapidly falling; the stars slowly coming into view from their bed of cushioned darkness. The village was in a hush; ignorant to the happenings that were occurring in the hospital.

A boy, being carted off by several doctors as blood gushed from his wound; a girl trailing quickly behind, the same thick liquid staining her clothes as tears continued to flow down her cheeks; and a group of doctors with naught the slightest clue as what was going on worriedly checking vitals and attempting to stop the bleeding.

Everything was happening too fast. Though what exactly was happening was unknown. There were voices and lights and the din seemed all-encompassing. And then, when time could not have gone any quicker, the white double-doors closed, a red light buzzing to life just above it, and time died.

Hours passed dreadfully slow. How many, she knew not. Neji and Kiba were there too. They'd heard the news. And Tsunade was within the emergency room, but other than that, news hadn't spread even in such silent a night.

Neji was scowling intensely, brows furrowed, a lone drop of sweat trickling down his neck. He was seeing with his Byakugan.

"What's happening in there?" asked Kiba nervously. He absentmindedly stroked Akamaru's soft head, trailing his fingers past the sensitive ears.

"…From what I can see, they've been able to stop the bleeding. He's receiving a blood transfusion to make up for the amount lost. But they still don't know what's wrong."

"Is he awake?"

"No. Comatose." Akamaru whined and solemnly laid his head onto his owner's lap. "But, there's something else."

Sakura raised her head and looked at the Hyuga, dull eyes suddenly interested.

"His chakra system is going haywire. It looks as if it's condensing, though it's hard to tell for sure. It's probably causing Naruto far more agony than we can imagine since it's affecting him physically. I'm not necessarily sure what will happen, but unfortunately, he must suffer silently. His body shows almost no other signs of life." He paused, focusing his jutsu a little harder. "The source of all this seems to come from the wound on his neck…I'm seeing some bizarre form of…chakra?" Neji shook his head, trying to make sense of it all.

Everything fell silent. Sakura was staring at the door, only able to imagine her friend's pain. She could cry no more. Her tears were gone. She dropped her head, fingers threading through her unnaturally pink hair, and spoke through her teeth, "Tell them. Tell them what you know."

"Tsunade is already aware of this. In fact, she probably sees more than I do right now," the raven haired shinobi explained quietly.

"Man…poor guy," muttered Kiba as he stroked his puppy.

* * *

**This is just something that came to mind and just begged to be written down. So, I said 'OK' and here it is!**

**I hope you all enjoyed it. Please read and review! Thankies!**

**That's all folks! Kit, out! 3**


	2. Child Fears, Mundane Comforts

**Size Never Matters**

Chapter 2: Child Fears, Mundane Comforts

It was morning. Both Neji and Kiba had gone, but promised to return. The foreboding red light still gleamed in that vacant hallway. Only a few times did someone leave or enter the room; all looking worn, disconsolate.

Grayed emerald eyes sluggishly trekked up the white-washed walls to look at the clock. Six A.M. Seconds ticking by slowly. She wasn't hungry. A sympathetic nurse had offered her some food and a blanket not long ago. At some point in the night, she'd fallen asleep; sleep dominated with awful nightmares, but sleep nonetheless. Physically, she felt much better, though mentally, she was ill with worry.

Then, two hours later, as if in answer to her silent prayers, the red light flicked off and the doors opened. Instantly she was on her feet. In the wake of several doctors, Tsunade's tired form exited languidly. Wiping the sweat from her forehead and pulling out a flask of sake from her coat pocket, she glanced at Sakura.

"Tsunade-Sama! Is Naruto alright? What happened? Can I see him?!"

The Hokage held up her hand and the kunoichi quieted. "Settle down, Sakura," came her tired reply, fingers massaging her brow. "Naruto is okay, perhaps a bit delirious at the moment; he's awake now. You may see him…but," she warned, focusing her sharp gaze on the girl, "something…_happened_." After a moment she sighed, accepting there was nothing more she could do in the current state of things. The blond then turned to leave, not uttering another word as she downed the sake.

Sakura paused for an instant, pondering what in the world the woman had meant, but she snapped back quickly and dashed through the door…

…only to stop dead in her tracks at what she saw.

* * *

Sasuke was now making his way to the hospital, hastily, but in a way not betraying his rush. The whole village was buzzing about something, though the most he gathered was that it pertained to Naruto. Apparently he was the last one to find out about his blond being hospitalized.

There it was again. That confounded word: '_his'_ that was usually followed by '_blond'_ or '_Naruto'_. It failed to make any sense to him. His possessiveness over the other escaped his understanding. Fortune upon him that he hadn't spoken it aloud… _Enough_. He shook his head. There were more important things to mull.

Entering through the double doors of the E.R., he approached the receptionist and was greeted by a jolly looking woman possibly in her mid-thirties. She blushed when Sasuke looked directly at her, but managed to speak in a normal tone. "How may I help you Uchiha-san?"

"Where's Naruto Uzumaki's room?"

She nodded. "Uzumaki-san is in room B108. Well, it seems like that young man has quite a lot of visitors today. Wonder what's going on…?"

Sasuke thanked her and walked briskly off, not bothering to acknowledge her any more than necessary.

It was when he rounded the corner did he bump into Hinata. "Oh! S-Sorry S-Sasuke," she stuttered quietly, bowing her head in embarrassment. Looking passed her, he saw the entirety of rookies—minus Sakura—and other's he recognized, either standing, sitting, or pacing the hallway.

"Why's everyone here?" he asked, genuinely interested. All eyes looked up at him; a hint of shock in each one that made him wonder what it was that had happened.

"You really haven't heard have you?" questioned Shikamaru from the far wall he was leaning on, arms crossed. Sasuke glared.

He refused to entertain the other, and Shikamaru let out an agitated sigh. The brunette was about to speak when the doors to the room burst open. Everyone at once was on their feet, staring anxiously. No one knew all the details save for the fact that Naruto had been in mildly injured in his last mission and abruptly fell into a coma that almost left him dead. Naturally, the rookie nine—though Shikamaru was chunin—came to see how the boy was doing. The blond had that sort of power. No matter how one came in contact with him, weather they hated him or not, or barely spoken to him, one would willingly or unwillingly come to care for him.

Breaths were held. The anticipation was so thick it felt as if they were choking; being strangled by the growing curiosity…

Pink hair came into view. Sakura stepped out and locked eyes with the Uchiha, her face unreadable. "Sasuke…You better come quick," was all she said.

Needing no further permission, he quickly made his way inside the room with Sakura.

The door clicked shut behind them. The first thing Sasuke noticed was how dim the lighting was. Apparently it was purposefully done but he couldn't quite understand why. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust. Once things were distinguishable, the looked around till he caught sight of the bed. He couldn't tell what was on it, it looked like a bundle of blankets, and made to step closer but Sakura caught him by the hand.

His locked eyes with the girl—who was surprisingly his same height—and cocked a brow. Her stern gaze said more than enough.

She walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, Sasuke staying where he was, watching intently. Gently, she nudged the bundle and in return received a muffled groan. She sighed and tried again, more forcefully, but the end result was the same. The pink haired girl looked up at him, obviously distressed. "He was coming to a moment ago, so I thought, since we're teammates, you'd want to see him first. But now he's out again and you know how hard it is to wake him…," she trailed off, staring at the bundle of sheets with an expression that could only be described as love. She resembled a mother hen who always kept an eye on her young chicks. Sasuke was rather astounded, yet not. He always suspected that the emerald eyed girl cared for their hyper little blond. Even though she always nagged at him and hit him when she saw fit, he knew there was the need to care for him like a sister for Sakura.

The Uchiha made his way over to the bed.

"Brace yourself," she warned, once again locking gazes. This made Sasuke a tad giddy. What was he supposed to expect? What could possibly have gone so wrong that he must brace himself? He swallowed the lump in his throat and steadied himself. What the hell was wrong with him? He was an Uchiha! Uchiha's _never_ feel giddy. Yet, he couldn't help it.

Slowly he grasped the sheets with his pale hands. Against his will, his heartbeat quickened, but his curiosity was piqued and he could not contain himself. He yanked off the sheets, white linen blooming in crinkled fans around him, and beheld his treasured teammate.

It was like being nailed in the gut by a ten ton sledgehammer. Sasuke found himself speechless; amazed, freaked, and shocked all at once. "N-Na…ruto?..." he breathed with the last of his air.

Naruto Uzumaki, thirteen-year-old genin ninja and the source of all energy in the planet, was…little? How else could it be described? Naruto was himself, but in the body of an eight-year-old. He was much smaller and quite thin, yet adorably so. His spiky blond locks of hair were splayed about, a tad longer than usual making him all the more boyish. His sun kissed skin was utterly flawless and glowed with youth and delicateness; his cheeks cutely curved; lips light pink and slightly parted; nose small, perfectly shaped, kissable; and an enticingly slender neck that was flawed only by the bandage rapped around it. The blond was curled up on the bed—small hands tucked into his chest with knees slightly bent—and stirred somewhat when the covers were removed. After a moment, his lids fluttered open to reveal enormous azure eyes that were nothing less of hypnotic. He blinked several times and rubbed his eyes with little fists to relieve himself of sleep and sat up on the bed. As he sat up, the hospital gown he was wearing slipped down his small shoulders, obviously several sizes too big.

Sakura smiled with a glint of sadness lingering in her eyes.

Naruto looked up at them and tilted his head slightly. "…Sasuke? Sakura?...W-What's going on?" he questioned, then quickly shot a hand to his throat. His voice was totally different. It was higher in pitch, like a small child, though still boyish.

Sasuke's mind was in overdrive. What had happened? Why was Naruto physically an eight-year-old and how was something like this even possible? Too many details were unknown to him. What's more, the boy's condition had the raven feeling off balance. He was so small, so vulnerable...it was stressful to think how easily he could get hurt. More than anything, the teen wanted to touch Naruto, almost to assure himself that what he was seeing was real...But he was brought out of himself when Naruto called to him.

"S-Sasuke…?" the kitsune whispered, genuinely scared.

"Naruto," he said slowly, carefully, "you should take a look at yourself first…" His voice quivered.

He moved over rigidly and plucked a mirror from a table near the door, then handed it to the blond, face down, hands shaking slightly.

Tsunade entered the room just as the boy flipped over the mirror and took in his reflection. "Oh no," she muttered, crossing over to him.

His grip on the mirror tightened until the object groaned in complaint at the pressure; on the brink of snapping in half. Then suddenly, it slacked and the object clattered to the floor, shattering glass in all directions. His whole body felt numb and heavy, like lead weights were imbedded into his bones and gravity decided to double up on him. He felt his stomach tighten and flip, engulfing him in nausea, as what he saw in the mirror dawned on him. Unbidden, his whole body began to tremble.

"Naruto…," Sasuke said so quietly it was almost a whisper.

Tsunade sat down on the bed and wrapped an arm around his small shoulders, but he shoved it off. Then, without warning, he jumped off the bed and stumbled towards the door, pausing; a piece of glass sliced his heel.

"I know this must be hard for you to take in," Tsunade started, eyeing him critically, "but know that we are trying hard to figure this all out…Naruto?"

He didn't respond. He just stood there staring at his hands, motionless, looking so little and helpless. In truth he was beyond distressed. He really couldn't take it all in. What the hell was going on? He remembered being at the Ichiraku Ramen stand with Sakura, and then his wound started to hurt really bad…but what transpired thereafter he couldn't say.

He was a little kid again. But why? _H__ow_? It was incomprehensible, implausible. No one could physically regress, right? He clenched his hands till his knuckles turned white. Being small again brought back the fear, the loneliness, the pain of being a Jinchuriki. It brought back the memories of nights spent alone in his room, pressed up against a corner nursing his wounds from being beaten by villagers, praying that they would stop calling him such horrible things and accept him as human. How no one would acknowledge his presence and play with him; how they'd take pleasure in ridiculing and lying to him; how they hated him with such a passion; how he had no friends, _none_; he remembered it all. At least when they beat him to near death they knew he was there, they acknowledged his presence.

He couldn't take it. He didn't want to lose all he'd gained; all the hard earned respect, all the acknowledgment, all his friends, especially his closest friend…Sasuke Uchiha. Of all he couldn't lose Sasuke…He didn't want to go back! Not again!

Naruto looked up at the three ninja whom were watching him intently. Tears welled up in his eyes and spilled over and down his cheeks. He swayed slightly and bit his lip, bringing his hands up to grip the collar of the gown.

Sasuke moved to step closer to him. "Naruto, it's okay." he said cautiously. The Uchiha knew something wasn't right with the kitsune. Sure, he could understand him being shocked at all of this, but it was clear that that wasn't the only issue.

"…I…" His throat must've closed up because he found himself unable to utter a sound, much less breath.

Sasuke snagged Naruto by the elbow just as he was about to charge out the door. He weaved his arm about the child's torso, securing the other arm too, and lifted him. The blond screamed and flailed his legs—tears streaming down his cheeks—in a feeble attempt to free himself, but the Uchiha held fast.

"Naruto you need to calm down!" Sakura insisted forcibly. "It's not that bad! So what if you're small? What difference does that make?" She was scared too, though. But she had to be strong if that was all she could do.

The blond stilled, looking down at the floor miserably, letting her words sink in. Sakura had a point…besides the physical change, nothing else seemed different. Even so, he couldn't shake the fear that danced about below his breastbone. He sniffed and balled up his hands, rubbing at the tears, his nose and eyes pink.

Once the older boy was sure he wouldn't bolt, the blond was released. He made sure to avoid the glass residue this time.

"…You don't understand…" Naruto insisted—he wouldn't mention his worry about the loss of friendships and almost destined assault he'd receive from the villagers when no one was looking—"How can I ever get people to acknowledge me now?"

"That's irrelevant." Tsunade said with such force and certainty that his eyes were drawn to her. "You're a very talented ninja Naruto and something as tiny and temporary as this will have no affect on your dreams."

"But—" he insisted, still weary.

"No buts. You're going to have to make the best of it until we can cure you," the Hokage said sternly. He looked away, suddenly ashamed.

"…Well, what about missions?" he inquired, still feeling terrible.

This took the woman a moment. She studied him, glanced at Sakura and Sasuke, then back at him. She couldn't just say no to him, even though his condition was still foggy. It'd tear him apart. She'd just have to place him in a five man cell to be safe. She answered, "As long as they're not too dangerous I suppose." She could instantly see how his face lit up with hope, despite his worries. "But, you have to stay with one of your teammates from now on." She couldn't afford to leave him alone when he could easily fall into a coma like he had the last night. He almost died. No. He had to be watched. "Hmm…I'd choose Sakura, but she's got to continue her training under me; we're moving onto a level she can't afford to miss any of. So that leaves you Sasuke. Besides, you and the brat are so close to each other already. Yes, it's decided. Uchiha Sasuke, you are Naruto's guardian until this whole mess is sorted out. You must keep an eye on him and ensure he get's adequate nutrition for his…ah…growing body."

"But!—,"

"What did I say about buts?" The kitsune's shoulders sunk. "Now then, Sasuke, Naruto, you're both dismissed. Sakura, you come with me."

Sakura turned to Naruto and smiled warmly; cupping his cheek in her hand. "If it helps any, you look real cute!" she chirped, truly wishing she could care for the boy herself.

He blushed several shades and looked away; completely forgetting his past worries. He had to keep hope. At least he could still go on missions. So he'd need to train a bit more and get comfortable in his new self. Nothing new…sort of. Sakura laughed at his adorableness, bid them a goodbye, and ran off after Tsunade, who'd exited through another door in the back.

Sasuke looked down at the blond, still weary of his teammate's wellbeing, but relieved he seemed better. "You ready for what's waiting outside?" he asked on a lighter note.

Naruto cocked his head to the side cutely. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, you'll see in a moment…" he said, knowing full well the craziness that awaited them and opened the door.

* * *

"Oi Neji, would'ya tell us what's going on in there?" pestered Ino for the millionth time. As annoying as she was, no one bothered to tell her off since she was really voicing their own thoughts. They all were eager to know what was going on. But once again, the pupil-less teen just shook his head and said nothing. Apparently Gaara too was informed on what was going on in the room by using his sand, though not many had the courage to ask the seemingly ever-pissed teen.

Suddenly they all heard screaming. They felt their hearts skip a beat when they recognized the voice to be Naruto's, though distinctly higher in pitch, smaller. When the yelling died down, the following three minutes were excruciatingly long as they waited in ignorance. Even with their keen hearing as ninja's they failed to hear any words at normal speech level or lower due to how the room was built; only adding to their anxiety.

Then finally, the door knob began to turn. Everyone was on their feet, staring intently at the door that just didn't open fast enough.

Sasuke walked out…followed by Naruto.

Gasps and genuine shock mirrored among most the rookie nine as they took in the sight of their friend. Then came the commotion…and the high pitched squealing, courtesy of Ino, Hinata, and…Lee. Naruto felt himself become slightly claustrophobic when everyone crowded around him. They all talked at the same time, some patting the boy's head (namely Kiba and Lee—who was totally pumped about Naruto's 'power of youth' from the get go and opted to give him thumbs ups and shiny smiles), others poking him or pinching his cheeks, messing with his hair or staring at him with weird dreamy looks on their faces (...Hinata).

The din seemed highly stressful for the small boy; his blue eyes too big for his face looked borderline horrified.

Sasuke reacted and, after a minute, was able to settle the crowd. Clearly they wouldn't disperse without an explanation, so the Uchiha gathered up his wits, willing himself to be social, and relayed his knowledge on the matter—Kiba and Neji filling them in from the beginning; Gaara was of much help as he threatened to murder the next person to speak or touch Naruto lest they knew something of importance.

The whole time Naruto opted to pout, not in the least bothering to hide his uneasiness and disapproval of the whole thing. The discomfort on his heel was making itself known to him right then as well, causing his demeanor to dampen further.

When done, the raven let out a sigh.

"At least you're alright and healthy," commented Chioji as he popped open yet another bag of potato chips, crumbs showering down and coating his face and cloths, though he seemingly cared naught.

"Y-Yes! I'm also g-g-glad you're alright, N-Naruto-k-kun," Hinata agreed in her soft voice, a blush ever present on her face.

After a bit of chatting and clarity on the subject, Shikamaru with Chioji, Neji, Shino, and Gaara and company left.

As they remaining still gawked at the blond, snicker made its way to Naruto's ear. "What's so funny dog-breath?" Naruto growled, knowing full well who it was.

Kiba nonchalantly sauntered over, leaned over dramatically as if to emphasize the blonde's size, or lack of, and patted his head when they were face to face. "Now you're _really_ short."

"WHAT?" he screeched with such intensity that could deafen. Kiba just lost it and cracked up. Naruto gritted his teeth and punched the brunette right on his jaw. He didn't expect the action to hurt as much as it did. He snatched his aching hand up to his chest protectively, face scrunching up in pain as his eyes became watery. What happened to his strength?

"Kiba you big jerk! You made an eight-year-old cry!" Ino seethed, glaring death at the teen and cracking her knuckles; a malevolent glint in her eyes. "You are so dead…"

Kiba gulped audibly and dashed off, Ino in hot pursuit.

Sasuke scooped Naruto up into his arms like the child he was, not showing emotion whatsoever and ruffled his hair softly. "Don't cry over something like that, dobe. You've taken hits before."

"It hurts more than you think, teme!"

"Whatever. I'm beat, let's go home." He said, taking his leave.

Naruto waved goodbye to everyone over the raven's shoulder in response to their farewells then turned to face the teen and tugged at a lock of ebony hair. A very scary glare was his response, but then Naruto was used to his glares. "Can you put me down? I can walk ya' know."

"No. You're too slow." And as if to emphasize his statement, Sasuke took to the rooftops once Naruto was signed out.

* * *

**Finally Chapter 2!**

**Hope you enjoyed it! Sorry it took so long.**

**I promise nothing in my updating. Reviews always motivate me to move faster, though. (not joking)**

**Ninja Kit...Away! xD**


End file.
